Red Cross donates N91.5m, food items to 1,000 victims of flood in Kogi

The Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) has donated a sum of N91.5 million to 1,000 victims of 2022 flood disaster in Kogi State.

BusinessDay reports that the beneficiaries were selected from five Communities in Ajaokuta and Bassa Local Government Council Areas of the State.

The Communities are Ajaokuta and Kporoko in Ajaokuta Local Government and three Communities of Gbobe, Kpata and Goji in Bassa Local Government Area.

The beneficiaries who are mostly elderly people and women were also given food items by the Organisation.

Further breakdown of the donations showed that 250 of the beneficiaries were selected from Ajaokuta Community while another 250 beneficiaries were picked from Kporoko Community.

In Bassa Local Government, 200 beneficiaries were selected from Gbobe Community, 150 from Kpata Community while 150 beneficiaries came from Goji Community, making a total of 1,000 beneficiaries from the two Local Governments.

In the cash disbursement, each of the 1,000 beneficiaries received N91, 500 contained in a customised ATM cards.

The food palliatives distributed to each of them included 25kg bags of rice, 12kg bags of beans 12kg bags of gari, and five-litre kegs of palm oil and groundnut oil.

The Red Cross equally donated a borehole to each of the five Communities. Cash disbursement and distribution of the food items were supervised by Dauda Muhammed,, Assistant Coordinator, Disaster Management, NRCS.

Speaking at the event, Daud Muhammed said the assistance was targeted at the most vulnerable victims of the flood disaster, adding that the aim was to support them to regain their life balance after going through harrowing experiences occasioned by the flood disaster.

He also said similar event was going on in five other States of Adamawa, Anambra, Kebbi, Rivers and Oyo, adding that 3, 500 victims would benefit from assistance.

He expressed hope that the money and the food items would bring some relief to the victims and help them stabilise.

Earlier, Benjamin Ajodo , the Kogi State branch Chairman of NRCS, said the distribution of the cash and food support was preceded by on-the-spot assessment and inventory of structures and items affected by the flood disaster in the five Communities as he applauded the National Headquarters of the Red Cross for coming to the aid of the victims.

In a goodwill message, Ibrahim Mustapha Aye-Oba, the monarch of Ajaokuta, Onu of Ajaokuta, commended the Red Cross for making the project a reality, adding that the cash and food items would go a long way in mitigating the plight of the victims.